Phil Robertson is facing a tough road with his health but his family and faith are supporting him.
But “Shameless from the Robertson Family,” Phil’s son, Jess, initially broke the news to fans that his father is suffering from “the early stages of Alzheimer’s” and is “unable to sit and hold a conversation.”
“It’s intensified, and it’s causing problems throughout his body. And they have early stages of Alzheimer’s. So, if you put those things together, he’s really not doing well. He’s struggling,” he added.
His son, Willie Robertson, spoke to Fox News Digital by phone and explained that Phil is “struggling with a lot of different things right now.”
“He has a blood disorder, and then he has mental problems that can quickly [on-set] Alzheimer’s… and probably a few ministrokes because of his blood,” Willie explained. “And so, it could be some stroke stuff that happened. So, we are still checking on all of them. But then he also has a back problem, he has a fracture in his back and there is pain there. So, he is struggling with many different things at the same time.
Willie said that day by day, Phil’s back pain has become the biggest issue affecting his overall well-being.
“Especially in any situation where he is getting up from a sitting position or a lying position, [it’s] It’s very stressful for them and also very painful,” he said.
“We have a number of other things we are considering, trying some different medications. And, again, it’s a little more difficult in terms of back pain, because it seems to dominate her day-to-day, so we’re trying to get her back in order so that she can at least Can roam around. We’re trying a lot of different things. We have seen many doctors and [are] “Just getting the best care and the best things we can and trying to figure out what’s next.”
The “Duck Dynasty” star didn’t share specific details about the blood disorder, but said it was causing “too much blood” in his father, causing it to thicken and potentially cause him to suffer a ministroke. .
“It’s tough with the mental stuff,” Willie said. “It’s hard to determine what causes these, especially with the early signs, it’s hard to determine whether the stroke caused brain damage or is it Alzheimer’s?”
He added, “I know it runs in his family. His other brothers and sisters also had similar things. “This has happened with all his brothers and sisters who have passed away.”
According to Wiley, Phil also has an “enlarged spleen, which can put pressure on the stomach, and which can cause some of the appetite loss.”
On “Unashamed”, Jess shared that Phil was “not hungry at all” and that he “has to cook himself.”
“There are some issues that we are trying to get to the bottom of, maybe some of them are coming from here. It could be pain, but it could also be a blood disorder that’s caused some things that can deal with that too,” Wiley said.
But the family is trying their best to feed his father, and Willie revealed, “I just got a message from him asking me to bring him more food. It seems he likes my cooking.”
“I make hamburgers, I’ve made some crawfish dishes. I’ve done all kinds of things that I think he would have always liked and eaten, I don’t know if it’s as good as mom’s, but, I’m trying my best,” the 52-year-old shared , saying that Phil “isn’t able to do what he normally does for his food.”
The family has been able to stay on top of Phil’s health issues, seeking help when possible symptoms of Alzheimer’s first started.
“We noticed some problems, and so we took him to the doctor and tried to find out exactly what was wrong,” Wiley said.
“It’s hard to know whether someone is simply getting older and forgetful or whether some damage has actually occurred. And that’s just what we’re trying to figure out.”
Willie said that for Phil, “some days are good and some days are not so good”, but they try to “have as normal a conversation with him as possible”.
Phil’s wife and Willie’s mother, “Miss Kay”, is dealing with some health problems of her own, due to a broken leg suffered over the summer, which is affecting her mobility.
Willie said she wishes she could help more, but in the meantime, the couple of nearly 60 years enjoys their time together quietly.
“They’re both down there, in the same place. They are sitting on their chairs and doing the same thing. So, they definitely have each other’s backs.”
Despite his condition, Phil is “as sharp as ever” when it comes to faith and knowledge of the Bible.
“He goes back to that right away, and so we found those are the things that comfort him,” Wiley said. “He still quotes the Bible and still talks about his faith in God, so I think that’s comforting and something he hasn’t lost yet.
“He can’t speak and teach his classes like he used to, and so he’s kind of taking a break from that and his podcast and stuff. But it’s still strong and important to him, he can’t always create the words and ideas that I think he wants to create.
Willie added, “His faith is an important part of his life. And life is short and temporary, and he always knows it. And in fact, we have always had such an eternal outlook towards life. We’re not sad, we realize that, you know, these are things that happen on this earth, and we deal with them.
And Vishwas is helping the entire family in this difficult time.
“In these times, that’s where the faith component really steps up,” Wiley said. “That’s what we’re about, that’s what he lives for and the hope that there’s something beyond that. And yes, and he’s definitely a testament to that, even where he is in life right now.”
He further added, “But who knows? God can do some amazing things. I know there are a lot of prayers going on. And so I wouldn’t be surprised if his turn comes and he performs brilliantly, you never know.
